Cooler



Dec. 18, 1934.

F. L. LAPORTE COOLER Filed Apri l 24, 1955 FUNN m a adv 2 m m PatentedDec. 18, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,985,043 cooLEa Francis 1..Laporte, St. Louis, Mo. Application April 24, 1933, Serial No. 667,587

7 Claims.

My invention relates to coolers and more particularlv to coolers forbeverage. Heretofore, coolers of this type usually have included thereina tank for brine or some other conductive 5 fluid and in which waspositioneda cooling coil during such cleaning and then returned it tothe'tank after the cleaning had been completed. Also, when the cooler isused for draught beverage it is necessary that a coil be provided in thecooler through which the beverage flows to be cooled. It is mandatorythat the beverage coil be cleaned internally at frequent intervals andthis cleaning is usually accomplished by passing live steamtherethrough. It the conductive fluid remained inthe cooling tank duringthe cleaning operation the low temperature at which the beverage coil isheld caused great condensation of the steam and a resultant collectionof water in the coil and, likewise, the cooling fluid became warmed bycontact with the beverage coil heated by the steam.- Both of theseresults should be avoided.

In the case of beer coolers these deficiencies are particularlyobjectionable because it is necessary that beer be maintained at aconstant low temperature of about forty degrees Fahrenheit. When thebeer coil was cleaned by steam and the surrounding fluid became warm, itwas necessary to stop passing beerthrough the coil after cleaning untilthe cooling fluid and the coil had been cooled again to the desiredtemperature. This in effect meant that after each cleaning x the coolerwas put out of use for an appreciable time. Likewise, incoolersheretofore used no simple expedient had been found to cause amild agitation of the cooling fluid, although, it is known that suchagitation eflectively increases the cooling efliciency oi the device.The objects of my invention are toprovide a cooler of the type describedof simple and com- 50 pact construction and including means for quicklyand easily removing the conductive fluid from the cooling tank duringcleaning of. the parts of the device and to provide a cooler includingmeans for agitating the conductive fluid In the accompanying drawingwherein one embodiment of my invention is shown and wherein similarcharacters are used to designate similar parts Fig. 1 is a top view ofthe 5 cooler embodying my invention: Fig. 2 is a sectional view of thecooler along the lines 22 of Fig. 1 together with the necessary ,appurtenances for its use; and Fig.3 is a detail of one of the parts.

Referring to the figures the cooler comprises a casing 1 which may be ofany shape, but which,

preferably is round, as shown in Fig. 1, and which consists of a sidewall 2, a bottom 3 welded or otherwise suitably attached to the lowerend of the side wall and a removable top 4 preferably held firmly inplace by means of bolts 5 threaded in lugs 6 formed at the upper end ofthe side wall.

Inside of the casing 1 and, preferably in the lower part thereof, is anauxiliary casing 8 which has the side walls thereof positioned awayfromthe side wall 2 of the casing -1 so as to form within said casing acooling tank 9 for conductive fluid, as described above, and ana'uxiliary receptacle 10. The auxiliary casing 8 is fluid-tight, but isprovided withopenings 11 preferably at the bottom thereof wherebycommunication is provided between the tank 9 and the receptacle for thepurpose more fully hereinafter explained.

A cooling coil 12 is suspended from the top 4 on inlet and outlet pipes13 and 13a, respectively, for a suitable cooling agent which circulatesthrough the coil. Likewise, a beverage coil 14 is suspended from the top4 on inlet and outlet pipes 15 and 15a, respectively, for the beveragewhich, in this embodiment, is supplied to the cooler from a barrel 16 orother suitable container, in the usual manner. It will be noticed thatwhen the couplings 17 of the various coils are removed and the bolts 5are turned out from their normal position the top 4 and the coils may beremoved from the cooler as a unit.

Communicating with the interior of the auxiliary receptacle 10 is anair-line 18 through which air under suitable pressure may flowinto theauxiliary receptacle 10 under the conditions outlined below. The airline 18 may be connect- 7 ed to an air compressor, compressed airstorage tank or other suitable source of supply. At a convenient pointoutside oh the cooler there is preferably provided a valve 19 whichvalve may be of any design and construction, but is preferably of theso-called three way type. as shown in detail in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

In the valve so shown the inlet duct connected to the air line leadingto the source of supply is indicated at 20, the outlet duct connected tothe airline leading to the auxiliary receptacle 10 is indicated at 21and-a discharge duct leading to the atmosphere is indicated at 22. Itwill be evident that by moving the valve member 23 by means of'thehandle 23a a passagemay be formed leading through the duct 21 from theatmosphere to the discharge opening 22 or the flow of air moving thevalve incber to close all of the duct". The operation of my device is asfollows:-

en the device is being used to cool bever age the as; tank 9 is-ed witha suitable conductive fluid; as indicated in Fig. 2, and t fluid isprevented from entering the 121;.

'22. As the air flows from the auxiliary receptacle the conductive'fluidin thtank 9 will enter said receptacle through the openin s 11. Thereceptacle 10 is preferably large enough vto ac= commodate all of thefluid from the tank 9 and, therefore, steam may be passed through thepipes 15 and 15a. and through the beverage coil with out causing seriouscondensation of the steam or without warming the conductive fluid. -Whenthe cleaning has'been completed the valve 19 is adjusted so that airunder pressure {mm the source-oi supply will flow through the ducts 20and 21 and the line 18 into the auxiliary recap the cooling tank 9. Asstated above,

tacle 10. The pressure of the air so supplied is -maintained at a pointwhere it will be great enough to force the conductive fluid from thereceptacle lothrough the openings 11 back to the valve 19 may then bemoved to trap the air in the receptacle loand therefore maintain theconductive fluid in the tank 9, but it more efllcient stantly enters thereceptacle 10 and this air willv cooling is desired the valve maybeadjusted so that a small amount of air under pressure conbubble upwardlythrough the fluid in the tank 9 to keep the fluid in constant agitationand thereby increase the efllciency of cool th fluid and the beveragecoil.

While herein I have described only one emso bodiment .oi' my inventionas shown in'thc ac- "the spirit of my invention as tank may flow whensaid tank .and means from said receptacle.-

compan'ying' drawing I do not intend to limit myself to any particularform or arrangement oi the various parts and relative position to oneanother maybe varied within wide limits without deviating irom includedin the appended claims.

' What I claim as new and desire to secure by 1 Letters Patent, is:-

1. A cooler comprising a cooling tank for a conductive fluid, a coolingcoll arranged in said tank-to co0l. said fluid, an auxiliaryfluldreceptacle communicating withsaid tank and positioned and adaptedwhereby fluid irom said therefrom into said receptacle and said coll areto be cleaned, for forcing said fluid into said tank 2. A cooler comp 7ing a cooling tank for a conductive fluid; a'cooling coll arranged insaid tank to cool saidfluid, an auxiliary receptacle communicating withsaid tank and positioned and adapted whereby fluid from said tankmayflow therefrom into said receptacle whenlsaid and said coil are to becleaned, and means,

tank

the beverage coil the cooling coil to,

because their size, shape.

nosacss w. the valve y be stohpfi for supp 1-1.: air tier pressme tosaid recontaclc to force said fluid from said receptacle into said tank.

,3. A cooler comprising a cos "mam" coo tank for a conductive fluid, acooling coil arranged (in said tank to cool said fluid,

an any casing arranged in said cooler h: form an aary fluid receptaclebelow said cooling tank and m therewith whereby fluid from said tankmayflow there from into said receptacle when said tank and said coil are tobe cleaned, and means ior iorcing said fluid into said tank from saidreceptacle. 4. A cooler comprising a casg in a. cooling tank forconductive fluid, a coo coil arranged in said tank to cool said fluid,an emailiary owing arranged in said primary one to to an auxiliarycooling receptacle below said cooling tank and communicating therewithwhereby fluid from said tank may flowthereirom into said receptacleiwhensaid tank and said *coil are to be cleaned, and t :m. for supplying airunder pressure to said receptacle at the top' thereof to force saidfluid from said receptacle back into said tank after said clean-i inghas been completed. 7 o 5. A cooler comprising a casing I ing tank forconductive fluid, a coo p11 ranged in said tank to cool said fluid, anauxiliary casing arranged in said primary casing to form an auxiliarycoolingreceptacle below said cooling tank and communicating therewithwhereby fluid from said tank may flow therefrom into said receptaclewhen said tank and said coil are to be cleaned, means for supplying airunder, pressure to said receptacle at the top thereof to force saidfluid from said receptacle back into said tank atter said cleaning hasbeen completed, and means whereby the supply oi said airmay be continuedso that air will bubble through and agitate said fluid when in saidtank.

6. A cooler comprising a casing tog a cooling tank for a conductivefluid,said casing hav ing a removable top, a cooling coil suspended fromsaid trip into -saidtank to cool said fluid,- a beverage coil suspendedfrom saidfitop, an auxiliary casing'arranged in said cooler to iform anauxiliary fluid receptacle below said cooling tank and communicatingtherewith whereby fluid irom said tank may flow there rom into saidreceptacle, and means be cleaned to force said fluid from saidreceptacle been completed. I .7. A cooler comprising a casing forming acooling tank for conductive fluid. said casing having a removable top, acooling coil suspended from said top into said tank to 0001 said fluid,a beverage coll suspended from said top, an auxiliary casing'arranged insaid cooler to form an auxiliary fluid receptacle below said coolingtank andcommunicating therewith whereby fluid from said tank may flowtherefrom into said receptacle, means for supplying air under pressureto said receptacle at the top thereof when said tank is to be cleaned toforce said fluid from said receptacle back into said tank after cleaningthereof has been completed, and

FRANCIS L. ,LAPORTE.

for supplying air under pressure to said receptacle when said tank is to

